HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE
A Mother’s Perspective on Supporting the College Process BY L EI A FIS H ( B L AC K FEE T )
Photo by Amanda Cheromiah
As a parent, we encounter many milestones with our children: their first smile, their first step, their first day of kindergarten, and the first day of college. My daughter, Jayda, is entering college this fall as a freshman. As we navigate the college admissions process together, it has proven to be yet another rewarding first experience for not only Jayda, but also for me.
It is okay to be persistent, because you are learning how to assert and advocate for yourself.
I went to college, but nothing prepared me for the college admissions process we had to go through for Jayda.
Every student’s journey is not the same. I would like to share our story and hope it helps ease some of the challenges your family may encounter. Together make a list of the top five colleges your student is interested in attending. Research the degrees they offer and the costs. You can compare the costs by visiting the college/university’s website and entering your information into the “Net Price Calculator” page. Jayda listed three schools she wanted to attend; school one was a private college; school two was a state college; and school three was a tribal college. Jayda originally wanted to attend the state college because they offered an American Indian tuition waiver; which was an important factor for us in our decision-making process. We discussed the pros and cons of attending each college; and in the end the tribal college won because of its cost and the support she would receive from the community.
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After deciding on a college, we gathered Jayda’s important information and essential documents and wrote down her achievements in high school. The goal is to keep a list readily available to update for scholarship applications. I would encourage students to gather their information in September due to the October 1st open date for FAFSA. You want to factor in time for getting requests processed and mailed to you as it may affect another application process. For example, Jayda missed a scholarship opportunity due to my error. I did not fill out the parent portion until the end of October and her FAFSA was not processed in time. One of the best decisions I made was to encourage Jayda to find summer employment. A summer job prepared her to earn and respect money, and also taught her time management. Jayda started working the summer of her sophomore year at a fast food restaurant. After her summer employment experience, she said “Yep, Mom, I’m going to college, because I can’t handle working in fast food.” Jayda started writing her personal essay the summer prior to her senior year. She found it hard to write about herself, but with encouragement she completed it in September.
deadlines. She got a letter from her teacher, a woman she regularly babysat for, and her school counselor. When asking someone for a reference, students should provide them with the scholarship
You want to factor in time for getting requests processed and mailed to you as it may affect another application process. information, address, and a biography. Request they write the letter on official letterhead and sign it. It is okay to be persistent, because you are learning how to assert and advocate for yourself. You do not want your child to miss out on a scholarship because of a letter of reference. Once Jayda submitted a request to a reference, I asked her if she was following up to make sure she received her letters on time. We made a trip to the college for a campus visit and we made sure to meet the financial aid staff. I established a relationship with a contact person and felt so much more comfortable discussing my finances with the office. We followed up to ask questions regarding the financial aid package that Jayda was awarded. I asked about deadlines, other aid she may be eligible for, and any paperwork we were missing and needed to submit. Getting Jayda ready for college was quite an experience. I was worried about the details and deadlines, but everything worked out due to us planning properly and staying organized. As a parent, I wanted to teach Jayda life lessons and have her complete the steps and process on her own, but I had to help her. I want her to be successful and I need to be supportive. If you are a student navigating this process on your own, I commend you! Know you are not alone! Use your support network at school and at the colleges you plan to attend. There are many people willing and able to help and who want to see you succeed. You can accomplish anything if you try hard and advocate for yourself! Good luck!
I established a contact person and in turn felt so much more comfortable discussing my finances with the office. Keep in mind your child is going to need help. Do not write it for them, but guide them, set deadlines, and more importantly, take notes. She had many people proofread her essay and by the time Jayda completed her essay, she had almost 40 drafts of edits which led to the perfect essay. Jayda initiated all contact for her reference letters and made sure she asked references for their referral two months prior to the application
N AT I V E PAT HWAY S
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